FOUL FARE: Eggs openly on sale at a streetside market, despite a ban in force. Picture by Aranya Sen

The state government will review the ban on poultry meat and egg sales on February 12.

The sale, purchase and movement of chickens, ducks, quails and their eggs were banned for an indefinite period in the state on Tuesday.

On Wednesday, Metro spotted Bowbazar resident Mohammad Sadiq strolling down Chittaranjan Avenue with a dead chicken. He said he had bought the 1.6-kg bird for Rs 80 at New Market.

The birds were being sold covertly at the market, but a woman sat in the open with a basket of eggs. Duck’s eggs were Rs 3.50 apiece, while eggs of chicken and country fowl were being sold for Rs 2 and Rs 3 per piece, respectively.

“Before lifting the ban, we will consider whether bird flu had spread in the intervening period, whether human beings were infected and whether the mop-up operation had been completed,” said animal resources development minister Anisur Rahman.

Representatives of two poultry farmers’ associations met him on Wednesday. Animal husbandry department officials in Delhi said they had no idea what had prompted the state government to impose the ban now.